Sometimes it would be nice to have a transporter. What Star Trek fans hasn’t had that thought? But would we really want to be disassembled atom by atom and put back together somewhere far away? Hoshi certainly didn’t in the second-season Enterprise episode “Vanishing Point,” but it was her only way out of a deadly situation.

In this episode of The Ready Room, host C Bryan Jones is joined by Justin Oser, Aaron Harvey, and Luke Weir to discuss Hoshi’s eight-second mental adventure, her father’s confusion, early transporter technology, the repetition of story concepts in Star Trek and, of course, the legend of Cyrus Ramsey.

In our news segment, we explore the new video vault component of the Deep Space Nine documentary and take a trip through the Cosmos as LeVar Burton brings Carl Sagan’s classic to life.

Feature Initial Thoughts (00:25:01) ETP: Early Transporter Phobia (00:32:44) Only in Her Head (00:45:11) Overcoming Fears (00:54:05) I am Hoshi’s Dad. I am Smart. (00:59:59) The Aliens that Weren’t (01:10:46) Third Verse, Same As the First (01:20:51) Final Thoughts and Ratings (01:27:34) Closing (01:33:56)

Some things never go out of style. Take zombies, for instance. They’re wildly popular on 21st-century Earth, and they can be found in the 22nd-century Expanse as well. But what happens when you mix the living dead with logic? That’s what Archer and the crew of the Enterprise had to find out when they stumbled upon a zombified Vulcan crew in “Impulse.”

In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Mike Morrison, Dennis Castello, and Phillip Gilfus to discuss this horror story from Enterprise’s third season. We explore the Trellium-D conundrum, Jolene Blalock’s portrayal of a Vulcan losing control, parallels to DS9’s “Empok Nor,” and the importance of the coda that almost wasn’t. We also discuss the episodes’s amazing visuals and ponder the design of Starfleet’s 22nd-century hospital garb.

Plus, in our news segment, we look at details of the next Star Trek series as revealed by executive producer and showrunner Bryan Fuller, and we share our thoughts on Rihanna’s “Sledgehammer” and the use of non-orchestral music in Star Trek.

Most aliens in Star Trek are presented in terms that the human mind can understand. The Klingons, the Romulans, even the Borg. We can make sense of their actions and motives. But in reality, new life that we meet out in space will have a lot less in common with us. Enterprise attempted to address this truth midway through its first season in “Silent Enemy,” which pitted our crew against beings that only CGI could create—and who never spoke a word.

In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Zachary Fruhling, Brandon-Shea Mutala, and Dennis Castello to discuss this episode that includes not an alien mystery, but also a culinary one. Join us as we talk about the true nature of Malcolm Reed, Captain Archer’s decision to tuck tail and run, the real reason the Enterprise needed phase cannons to be installed, and, of course, the infamous B-story: the search for Malcolm’s favorite food.

In our news segment, we discuss a new collection of the classic James Blish TOS novelizations, the results of the Strange New Worlds short story contest, and Simon Pegg’s thoughts on the foundation of Star Trek.

Some of the best episodes of Star Trek are heavy on dialogue and
light on action. But taking two characters and shoving them into a
tiny space, from which they deliver incessant dialogue for 45
minutes, was a gutsy move for a new show trying to engage skeptical
audiences in its first season. Did it pay off?

In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Matthew
Rushing, Daniel Proulx, and Kevin Reitzel to discuss this very
small bottle show, what it tells us about the characters, hope vs.
pessimism, the deleted scene, and more. Oh … and we might
mention T’Pol once of twice.

In our news segment, we look back at 24 years of The
Undiscovered Country, debate the StarTrek.com poll that asked which
captain you would want to swap places with for a day, and discuss
Star Trek Beyond piggybacking on Star Wars: The Force Awakens with
a first trailer.

During Enterprise’s third season, the crew’s mission to find the Xindi superweapon took an unexpected turn when they encountered … themselves. Well, not exactly themselves, but their offspring. In a time travel story that had nothing to do with the Temporal Cold War, Archer stumbled upon a helping hand in the form of Trip and T’Pol’s son. And along the way, the crew caught a glimpse of what their personal lives would—or could—become. In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Norm Lao, Will Nguyen, and Mike Morrison to discuss how the story fits into the overall Xindi arc, the balance between temporal mechanics and character building, and, of course, what happens when you get two T’Pol’s together in one room.

In our news segment, we discuss some 50th anniversary Ships of the Line art prints, the Autobiography of James T. Kirk, the Star Trek Beyond Dubai set, and we debate the results of the StarTrek.com "Best Couple" poll.

Along with the Andorians, the Tellarites are one of the most memorable races from Star Trek that got almost no love after The Original Series went off the air. Even the TOS films merely gave them blink-of-an-eye-cameo attention (in The Voyage Home and The Undiscovered Country). But never fear! As with their fellow, antennae-donning Federation-founders, Enterprise came to the rescue. Sort of. The first Tellarite the 22nd-century gave us didn’t look—nor act—much like those we met in “Journey to Babel.”

In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Larry Nemecek, Norm Lao, and Will Nguyen, to discuss our hoofed friends and the episode “Bounty.” We explore the first draft of the script, in which the bounty hunter was not Tellarite, and also delve into what it takes to make a new Star Trek series that meets fan expectations for in-universe connections, yet feels fresh at the same time.

In our news segment, we catch up with Larry post-San Diego Comic-Con to talk about the state of Star Trek fandom at conventions, preview plans for Star Trek Las Vegas, and find out what secrets Larry has stashed away in a portal labeled 47.

Hosts

C Bryan Jones and Larry Nemecek

Guests

Norman C. Lao and Will Nguyen

Editor and Producer

C Bryan Jones

Executive Producers

Matthew Rushing and Norman C. Lao

Associate Producers

Renee Roberts and Zachary Fruhling

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

Content Manager

Will Nguyen

News

Larry’s San Diego Comic-Con Recap (00:01:55)

Star Trek Las Vegas + Geek Nation Tours Update (00:10:10)

Introducing Portal 47 (00:17:43)

Feature: Bounty

Intro and Synopsis (00:32:36)

Tellarite Spotting (00:35:42)

Becoming Tellarite (00:52:14)

The D Plot (01:02:25)

Making a Better Show? (01:10:56)

Missing TOS Links (01:28:17)

Final Thoughts (01:33:12)

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After a number of run-ins with the Klingons during Enterprise’s first two seasons, Captain Archer finally found himself in a place familiar to Star Trek fans: a Klingon courtroom. “Judgment” takes us back to the ice caves of Rura Penthe, but it also does more than simply repeat the events of The Undiscovered Country. It also attempts to add some depth to Klingon society.

In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Norm Lao, Will Nguyen, and Phillip Gilfus to discuss Archer’s trial, why the Klingons have it out for him, whether the use of Star Trek VI tie-ins was a clever connection or a creative crutch, and why the Klingons should be glad Mystery, Inc. didn’t make a cameo.

In our news segment we share our thoughts on Sofia Boutella’s signing to a lead role in the next Star Trek film, and we discuss the StarTrek.com poll that asked which alien race you would most want to make first contact with.

Hosts

Christopher Jones and Norman C. Lao

Guests

Phillip Gilfus and Will Nguyen

Editor and Producer

Christopher Jones

Associate Producer

Renee Roberts

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

News

Sofia Boutella signs on for lead role in Star Trek 3 (00:02:02)

Poll: The alien you want to make first contact with is… (00:14:06)

Feature: Judgment

Intro and Synopsis (00:28:32)

Kolos and the Rise of the Warrior Class (00:36:02)

Meeting Duras Again… for the First Time (00:50:57)

Communicating the Details (00:56:47)

Rura Penthe: Creative Crutch? (01:02:26)

A Clever Lampshade (01:16:14)

Archer on Trial (01:20:24)

Final Thoughts (01:28:11)

Closing (01:35:51)

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Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm

Fans often cite Travis Mayweather as the most underdeveloped character on Enterprise, but the episode “Horizon” sets out to change that perception with a story focusing exclusively on the Ensign, his family, and his past. It’s a good look into the character, though surprisingly comes near the end of Season Two.

In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Tommy Kraft and Will Nguyen to discuss Travis’s trip back home, the cargo culture, and the puzzling discrepancy between the background developed for the character and what the writers actually did with over the course of the series. We also reveal in the excitement that is Movie Night aboard the NX-01 and T’Pol’s newfound love of Frankenstein.

In our news segment we discuss the latest on Tommy’s film Star Trek: Horizon and debate the results of the StarTrek.com poll in which fans picked the alien race with the best starships.

Hosts

Christopher Jones and Tommy Kraft

Guest

Will Nguyen

Editor and Producer

Christopher Jones

Associate Producer

Renee Roberts

Production Manager

Richard Marquez

Content Coordinator

Will Nguyen

News

Star Trek: Horizon Production Update (00:02:25)

Poll: The alien race with the best starships is… (00:11:59)

Feature: Horizon

Intro and Synopsis (00:22:12)

A Misplaced Story? (00:26:28)

Fleshing Out Travis (00:30:39)

Cargo Culture (00:35:01)

It’s a Family Matter (00:41:42)

The Isolation of Distance (00:48:58)

Movie Night! (00:55:57)

Travis Saves the Day! (01:06:43)

Final Thoughts (01:13:24)

Closing (01:22:36)

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Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm

When we see injustices, it's natural for us to want to change them. But when those injustices involve an alien culture, is it really fair for us to impose our human views on others? This was one of the biggest challenges for early explorers and comes into play when Trip encounters a situation that seems very wrong to him, but is perfectly normal, accepted, and in fact critical to the Vissians. Despite good intentions, his actions to right a perceived wrong have devastating consequences.

In this episode of The Ready Room, we’re joined by Daniel Proulx and Matthew Rushing to discuss “Cogenitor,” the idea of a species that requires three genders to reproduce, the reasons why the Vissians may oppress the cogenitors, the repercussions of Trip’s actions, and, of course, the sensual cheese eating habits of Malcolm Reed.

In our news segment we find out how Wesley Crusher's amazing technicolor sweater can keep you warm this winter, which senior officer post fans most want to fill, and how you can design an actual Enterprise that will orbit the Earth.

Hosts

Christopher Jones and Daniel Proulx

Guest

Matthew Rushing

Editor and Producer

Christopher Jones

Associate Producer

Renee Roberts

News

Wesley Crusher technicolor sweater now available! (2:35)

Poll: The senior officer position most fans want to hold is… (13:46)

Help Enterprise In Space design the NSS Enterprise orbiter (21:58)

Feature: Cogenitor

Intro and Synopsis (27:04)

The Birds and the Bees… and the Ants? Tri-Gendered Reproduction (32:18)

Oppression for the Greater Good? (42:43)

Cultural Differences and Self Control (1:01:43)

The Sensual Cheese Eating Habits of One Malcolm Reed (1:13:48)

Don’t Think About the Language (1:16:17)

Repercussions and Lessons Learned (1:20:14)

Final Thoughts (1:24:35)

Closing (1:28:57)

Send us your feedback!

Twitter: @trekfm

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Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm

As one of the Starfleet's earliest explorers, James T. Kirk gained a reputation for finding an alien love interest on every world he visited. A century earlier, in Kirk-like fashion, Trip Tucker found himself in a situation that could have easily taken place on The Original Series as he rescued a princess. It's Sleeping Beauty with a twist—and a dash of Han and Leia—packaged with a strip of jerkey and a swamp swim. "Precious Cargo" is an episode that the creators considered so bad that Brannon Braga reportedly begged Rick Berman not to air it. Is it really that terrible?

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Matthew Rushing, Charlynn Schmiedt, and John Mills to discuss this story that takes inspiration and connections from not only TOS but from TNG as well. With a princess telling Trip "you're my only hope" (seriously), Archer and T'Pol playing Good Cop/Bad Cop, and the ship from Pigs In Space, there's so much fun to explore that we're left scratching our heads in light of the creators' scorn.

In our news segment we find out about the Smithsonian's Enterprise move, Orci shunning the Power Rangers to focus on Star Trek, and a look at what's coming up at Destination Star Trek London.

Hosts

Christopher Jones and Matthew Rushing

Guests

Charlynn Schmiedt and John Mills

Editor and Producer

Christopher Jones

Associate Producer

Renee Roberts

News

The Smithsonian starts its Enterprise move (3:54)

Orci shuns the Power Rangers to focus on Star Trek (8:28)

Destination Star Trek London (14:00)

Support Trek.fm on Patreon (20:25)

Sponsor: Audible (21:57)

Feature: Precious Cargo

Intro and Synopsis (24:50)

Please Don't Air This Crap! Signed, the Creators (28:22)

Why Matthew Loves Precious Cargo: A Theory (34:14)

A TOS Feel (35:59)

The Evolution of Human Naivity (41:02)

I'm King of the Swamp! (48:43)

Acting Princess (54:28)

Trip's Influence on Kaitaama (1:03:23)

Good Cop, Bad Cop (1:12:53)

A Missed Opportunity to Revisit? (1:20:59)

Final Thoughts (1:24:56)

Closing (1:33:02)

Support the Network!

Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://patreon.com/trekfm

At the end of “A Piece of the Action,” Doctor McCoy reveals that he left his communicator behind in Oxmyx’s office. It’s essentially laughed off and the NCC-1701 continues on to its encounter with a giant space amoeba. Kirk says that, with that kind of technology, the Iotians might one day want a piece of the Federation’s action. But what might be the actual repercussions of such an accident? This is the question that Enterprise tries to answer in the second-season episode “The Communicator.” Like McCoy, Reed returns to the ship minus his gadget—only this time it isn’t brushed aside.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Mathieu Blondin and Sebastian Prooth to discuss Reed's little mistake, the consequences for him and Archer, the potential impact it had on an alien society, and whether or not Starfleet should be going undercover to mingle amongst the inhabitants of other worlds in the 22nd century (or at all). We also discuss "The Communicator" as an important episode on the road to the Prime Directive.

In our news segment we learn about the March 2015 release of TNG Season 8—in book form, discuss what we want to see in the next Star Trek film compared to a recent article on io9, and in Questions from the Fleet we delve into how best to grow the Star Trek franchise by looking at how marketing and merchandising has been handled over the years.

Star Trek has presented us with more aliens that we can count. But most of these have been humanoid. Even the exceptions—Tholians, Excalbians, even Species 8472—are still easy for us to imagine being real… somewhere out there. In the first-season Enterprise episode “Vox Sola,” the writers and creative team attempted to give us, as Brannon Braga put it, “a wildly alien alien.” The title of this episode is Latin for “lone voice,” and is one of just seven episodes with Latin names—and possibly the best.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Phillip Gilfus, Tommy Kraft, and Suzanne Abbott to discuss just how unique this story is within Star Trek, how difficult it is to present truly alien life, the production challenges of turning plastic wrap into a villain, as well as the technology sneak peeks and ethically building blocks of this early mission of the NX-01.

In our news segment we reflect on the 20th anniversary of the TNG finale, "All Good Things…", some unique ships coming to The Official Starships Collection—including the 22nd-century Romulan Bird-of-Prey and the Krenim timeship from Voyager's "Year of Hell," and the big plans that are afoot over at Star Trek: Phase II.

In 2001, Star Trek landed with great fanfare in a cornfield in Oklahoma. It was the launch of Enterprise, as the series was known for its first two seasons, and the pilot episode, "Broken Bow," was well received. Over the years, perceptions of the series have changed more than once. The story of "Broken Bow" and Enterprise is one of creative change, great promises mixed with missed opportunities, and a tug-o-war between studio and network.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Matt Miller, Jose Munoz, and Oklahoma native Larry Nemecek to discuss story elements of "Broken Bow" and go behind the scenes to learn about the activities surrounding the pilot episode and the creation of the series.

In our news segment we take a look at the full details of the TNG Season Six and "Chain of Command" Blu-ray extras, new faces added to Star Trek Las Vegas, some advice from Wil Wheaton to a young Star Trek fan being bullied in school, and some exciting news about Trek.fm and iTunes.

Things began to look desperate for Archer and the NX-01 crew near the end of their mission in the Expanse. “Damage” begins with the Enterprise in the middle of battle, nearly destroyed, and Archer still missing. With the fate of Earth (and the future Federation) hanging in the balance, the likelihood that the crew will succeed is dropping rapidly. At the same time, the pressures of the mission are taking their toll on the crew. Phlox has become a battlefield doctor, T'Pol has succumbed to drug addiction, and Archer must make a move than goes against all his beliefs.

In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Matthew Rushing and Colin Higgins to discuss "Damage," the ethically dilemma facing Archer, T'Pol's increasing struggle with emotions, the role of the Sphere Builders, and how the cracks forming in the Xindi Council change the nature of the Enterprise's mission.

In our news segment we look in on Destination Star Trek Germany, the premiere of Gates McFadden's new stage play The Ugly One, lost audio commentaries for "Judgment," "North Star," and Star Trek: The Motion Picture recovered by TrekCore, a new release date for the Enterprise Season Four Blu-rays, and in Questions from the Fleet we delve into the lore of 47.

Few subjects in Star Trek have caused as much controversy as Klingon forehead ridges. A simple lack of resources in 1967 and a big movie budget in 1979 worked together to create one of the greatest debates of our time. Why do some Klingons have ridges while others do not? Deep Space Nine chimed in on the topic in a humorous way in “Trials and Tribble-ations,” but Enterprise sought to create a real in-universe explanation. In the final episode of The Ready Room for 2013 we’re joined by Mike Schindler and Tyler Johnson to discuss the Season Four two-parter, the medical dilemma faced by Phlox, the implications for the Klingon Empire, the Section 31 twist, and whether or not Enterprise helped settle the debate or simply further muddied the waters.

In news we take a look at the Enterprise Season Four Blu-ray set, discuss the five stages of reading the novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and round out our preview of Five Year Mission’s Year Three with “A Piece of the Action” and “The Immunity Syndrome.”

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Chapters

News

Enterprise Season Four Blu-rays set for April 1 release

Five Stages of Reading the Novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Home.

Following the successful destruction of the Xindi weapon, Archer and the Enterprise crew returned home just as Picard and his crew did after defeating the Borg in "The Best of Both Worlds." Unlike Picard's crew, however, the men and women of the NX-01 returned to a world that was not entirely happy with what they represented. Hailed by many as heroes and by others as a threat to Earth's security, each had to come to terms with the events of the past year. For Archer it was the isolation at the top of the command chain while struggling to accept the change in his mission and what he was forced to do in The Expanse. For Phlox is was the sudden onset of xenophobia on Earth. And Trip? For him it was the realization that he was losing T'Pol. In this episode of The Ready Room we're joined by Matthew Rushing and Kate Walsh to discuss how "Home" brings the Xindi Arc to a close and sets up many of the threads explored in the fourth season. Along the way we find out how much Vulcans love their statues and that Porthos is a good listener.

In our news segment we look at the Enterprise Season Three Blu-ray trailer and cover art, get our pets ready for Starfleet duty, preview two tracks from Five Year Mission's upcoming album Year Three and tell you how you can help the band, and debate whether Spock or Data is the most human character in Star Trek.

Kir’Shara.

Ask anyone—fan or not—to name one race from Star Trek and chances are they’ll say Vulcan. Thanks to Spock, few things are more associated with Trek than those green-blooded, pointy-eared aliens. Despite this the Vulcans are the most prominent race in Star Trek about whom we’ve learned very little over the years. It was left to Enterprise to fill in the blanks, something the series did beautifully, yet a majority of the fan base missed it because they had tuned the show out. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Michael Fisher, Colin Higgins, and James Moorhouse to continue our discussion of the Syrrannite Trilogy with the culmination, “Kir’Shara.”

In our news segment we review the happenings at Star Trek Las Vegas 2013, look at a new fan-curated collection of TOS episodes from CBS, hear directly from 1/8th Beverly about her relationship with Gates McFadden, and find out where Star Trek fans get their Trek fix most often.

Stigma.

During Viacom’s HIV Awareness campaign of early 2003, Brannon Braga and Rick Berman penned an Enterprise episode that drew parallels between the disease and the Vulcan practice of mindmelding. It’s one of the show’s more heavy-handed moments of social commentary, yet still has much to say about rights and equality beyond HIV and AIDS. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Warp Five’s Kate Walsh and John Champion of Mission Log to discuss this episode, “Stigma,” the arrogance and intolerance of 22nd-century Vulcans, how the episode applies to general LGBT rights in the modern day, and the pros and cons of the unique family structure of Denobulans.

In our news segment we look at the DVD release of Shatner’s Captain’s Close Up series, a special best of TOS Blu-ray called Star Trek: Origins, a Trek-themed hotel suite in Brazil, and Star Trek Into Darkness Live In Concert. Plus, we find out why Star Trek and Pokémon have more in common than you might think.

Unexpected.

The first rule of Xyrillian boating is you do not talk about Xyrillian boating. The second rule is you don’t stick your hands into a box of pebbles with a stranger. This is something Trip Tucker learned the hard way when a seemingly innocent day on the holographic water left him with a few extra nipples and an alien baby. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Drew Stewart, Mariel Keeran, and Enterprise associate producer Dave Rossi to discuss “Unexpected,” how it gives us a rare glimpse of a truly alien environment, introduces holodeck and replicator technology, the first hostile encounter between human and Klingon ships, and more.

In news we look at a feature-length Blu-ray release for “Redemption,” recovered footage from “The Bonding,” the return of Star Trek fragrances, personalised Star Trek email addresses, a Facebook chat with George Takei and J.J. Abrams, a little known Star Trek Into Darkness TV spot, and the Into Darkness soundtrack.

Dead Stop.

When the NX-01 was damaged by a Romulan mine, the consequences were more serious than initially thought. Faced with the prospect of a decade-long journey back to Jupiter Station, Archer was left with little choice but to seek help from the nearest good samaritans—but got caught in a snare. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Matthew Rushing, Michael Fisher, and Mariel Keeran to discuss the Enterprise episode “Dead Stop” as well as pan-fried catfish and a customer service nightmare courtesy of one Roxann Dawson.

In news we warn you of a planned Borg invasion of Canada, point you to a great review and behind-the-scenes piece to accompany the release of Enterprise Season One on Blu-ray, take a look at Art Asylum’s limited edition I.S.S. Enterprise and Mirror Kirk Minimates, and dig into the new international trailer and poster for Star Trek Into Darkness. Plus, we wish a very happy birthday to William Shatner.

First Flight.

Archer’s involvement in Starfleet’s NX project was key to his ultimate assignment as captain of the Enterprise—and to seeing his father’s work through to completion. Beyond the test flights themselves, the journey through the ups and downs of the project shaped the leader Archer became. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Matthew Rushing and Colin Higgins to discuss “First Flight” and how the competition with fellow Commander A.G. Robinson changed the way Archer approached life. We also talk about how the NX program influenced Archer’s view of Vulcans, how he met Trip, and how the origin of the Starfleet School of Fashion’s Admiral Uniform Modification Program can be traced back to this episode.

In news we look at the new trailers for “The Best of Both Worlds” and Enterprise Season One Blu-rays, the Shatoetry Valentine’s update, new KRE-O toys from Hasbro, and how Pine and Cumberbatch are trying to seduce you from Entertainment Weekly’s new Star Trek Into Darkness covers. Plus, we reveal the surprising identity of the character Cumberbatch is actually playing in the new film.

The Forge.

The tenuous nature of Human-Vulcan relations was the foundation upon which Enterprise was built. And while those relations evolved over the course of the series, they took a turn for the worse in the fourth-season episode “The Forge.” The bombing of Earth’s embassy on Vulcan propelled Archer and his crew into the middle of a struggle between the government and a religious group known as the Syrranites. In this episode of The Ready Room we are joined by Kathryn Brihan and James Moorhouse to discuss “The Forge” and the exploration of one of basic tenets of Vulcan society.

In news we cover the release date and pre-order bonuses for the Abramsverse Star Trek console game for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, Brannon Braga’s call for fan input on Enterprise Blu-ray extras, Data’s appearance in a new GE commercial, and lots of Star Trek Into Darkness news—including an incredibly new synopsis from Paramount! (Well, okay, maybe it’s pretty much the same as before.)

Similitude.

About halfway through the Xindi arc, Enterprise took a break the search for the weapon and presented a story that was very traditional Star Trek. In exploring the ethical quandary of creating life simply to harvest tissue from it, Enterprise did what Star Trek does at its best. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Doug Mirabello and José Muñoz to discuss this episode, “Similtude,” how it represents a turning point for the series by planting the seeds of Manny Coto’s influence, and how it fits into the overall Xindi arc.

In news we cover a TNG 25th Anniversary lithograph from Bye Bye Robot, new collectibles and reissues from Diamond Select, the danger real-life warp drive could pose to planets, the results of another series preference poll, and some movie news and rumours. Could we be seeing the end of Quinto’s Spock?

The launch of Enterprise marked the return of one of Star Trek’s favourite aliens—the Andorians. After four appearances on The Original Series, the Andorians were rarely seen. We caught glimpses twice each in TAS, TNG, and the TOS films. Then nothing. But Enterprise took the Andorians and made them a cornerstone of the 22nd century storyline with 16 appearances led by one of Star Trek’s greatest actors, Jeffrey Combs. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by our TOS editor Drew Stewart and Ben McCormick of Dork Trek and Playing Doctor to discuss the triumphant return of our blue-skinned friends in “The Andorian Incident.”

In news we discuss Ronald D. Moore’s thoughts on a new Star Trek series, the Star Trek Renegades Kickstarter, confirmation of Enterprise and the possibility of DS9 on Blu-ray, our impressions of the first issue of Brannon Braga’s Hive comic, and some movie news & rumours… including a very special exclusive.

The reset button is one of Star Trek’s favorite—and most despised—devices; but sometimes it’s just what a storyline is calling for. For the third season of Enterprise the studio decided to take us on a season-long journey into the unknown, into a region known as The Expanse. The Earth-Xindi conflict was a big risk for Star Trek. Creating such an extensive story in Star Trek’s past, involving a race no one had ever heard of, could be considered thumbing one’s nose at canon. Getting fans invested in the outcome of the conflict was no easy task. The solution? An intentional reset button early in the arc that allowed us to see how high the stakes were. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Hyperchannel host Tristan Riddell to discuss this reset button and the episode “Twilight.”

In news we cover the American debut of Star Trek Catan, new Star Trek toys and collectibles from Diamond Select, and we look at IDW’s “The Truth About Tribbles” as well as some Movie News and Rumours—including Benedict Cumberbatch’s boredom over the Khan question and Chris Pine’s decision to really do his job on the Star Trek sequel. Plus we speculate on Tribble starship design and Greg dispenses deep insights into the American sports ball.

When it launched, there was great promise that Enterprise would build a bridge between our own time and the world of TOS. And while that never really happened, the fourth season brought us the most extensive look at the 23rd century since the original crew left the big screen. With the two-part “In a Mirror, Darkly,” Manny Coto, Mike Sussman, and the Enterprise creative team poured all of their love for The Original Series into a sequel to “The Tholian Web.” The results were visually amazing, but the story itself didn’t quite reach the same heights. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Michael Fisher and Brian Finifter to discuss the good and the bad of “In a Mirror, Darkly.”

In news we cover Neil deGrasse Tyson and whether the orginal 1701 is the best starship ever created, the TNG Season One Blu-ray price drop and the preview of Season Two, the launch of Star Trek Online Season 6: Under Siege, Hallmark’s 2012 and 2013 Star Trek ornaments, and we delve into the Star Trek 2013 title debate and try to figure out just what “reservation” J.J. is keeping the cast and crew on.

The Eugenics Wars are one of those elements from Star Trek history that we’ve learned very little about despite their extreme importance. This great conflict from the 1990s, triggered by genetic engineering, exerted great influence on the development of human society and the Federation. It brought us Khan, World War III, and the controversy behind Dr. Bashir’s enhancement.

During its fourth season, Enterprise revisited the Eugenics Wars and their aftermath in a three-part arc comprised of “Borderland,” “Cold Station 12,” and “The Augments.” Spanning the years from Khan’s rule over Asia and the Middle East to Dr. Arik Soong’s continuation of the genetic engineering experiment, this story fills in much of the unknown story. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Michael Fisher and Dork Trek’s Ben McCormick to discuss the arc’s connection to TOS and The Wrath of Khan, along with Brent Spiner’s guest appearance and the evolution of Enterprise’s approach to storytelling.

As a prequel series Enterprise had to walk a fine line. Balancing the desire to create backstories with maintaining established canon was no easy task. So when the second season rolled around and the NX-01 encountered Romulans it was important that our crew did not actually see these unknown aliens. To do so would have ruined the big reveal in “Balance of Terror.” In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Down In Front’s Brian Finifter to talk about the Enterprise episode “Minefield,” how the Romulans were handled, and what the episode is really about.

In news we cover Destination Star Trek London and the planned meeting of the five captains, Five Year Mission’s birthday tribute to George Takei, Shatner dining with his millionth Twitter follower, Bryan Fuller’s view of Star Trek on TV post 2013, and some news that’s erupting about the next J.J. movie.

Everyone knows that first contact occurred in Montana on April 5, 2063. Or at least that’s what the history books tell us. But is it really true? Enterprise kicked off its sophomore season by ruffling the feathers of many canon purists with the story of an earlier first contact between humans and Vulcans. In this story, which T’Pol tells Archer and Trip over dinner, the first encounter between these two founding races of the Federation took place in 1947, in Pennsylvania. In this episode of The Ready Room we’re joined by Michael Fisher as we discuss the episode “Carbon Creek,” its place in canon, and how it is an excellent example of Star Trek’s exploration of social issues.

Enterprise was a series that was often misunderstood and was cancelled before its time. Under the guidance of Manny Coto, the fourth season saw the series finding solid footing as a TOS prequel. Bit by bit we were building toward the founding of the Federation and setting up Kirk’s era. Sadly they ran out of time and hastily ended the series with a very misguided finale titled “These Are the Voyages…” also known as the 177th episode of TNG. In this episode of The Ready Room we discuss the Enterprise finale, which has been explained as an intended “valentine” to Star Trek.

In news we look at the upcoming HeroClix Star Trek edition, Star Trek Online Free-to-Play details and changes to the game’s economy, the possible cancellation of Star Trek Infinite Space, Carrie Fisher’s response to William Shatner on Star Trek vs. Star Wars, Google+, and we preview two tracks from Five Year Mission’s upcoming album Year Two.

It's the series Trek fans love to hate on. As the last incarnation of Star Trek on television, Enterprise often gets blamed for killing the franchise. Is that really a fair label? In this, the premiere episode of our general Star Trek discussion show, hosts Christopher Jones and Greg Harbin take a look at Enterprise to find out just what it brought to that future world that we love, and why fans who wrote it off at the time should give it a fresh look.

In our news segment we discuss possible villains for the next J.J. Abrams Star Trek film, look at the production schedule and possibility of J.J. directing, and find out why the studio is demanding 3-D. Plus, Lisa M. Lynch sits down with George Cordero to get the low down on the upcoming Frank and Son Star Trek Fan Day.